Live music, reviews and opinion

Wolcensmen – Through The Ether: Live Review

In the wake of Norway’s Inferno Festival having to cancel, Wolcensmen joined the ranks in live streaming a concert for the masses to enjoy.

2019 was a stellar year for Wolcensmen. Fire In The White Stone was a stunning follow up to debut LP, Songs From The Fyrgen. Wolcensmen also made a foray into literature as the album was accompanied by a story to enhance the experience.

Songs that Wolcensmen performed for this very intimate concert were stripped back versions. Dan Capp, using intentional reverb effects and ambience in abundance, produced a magical short set that saw hundreds of people tuning in.

Opening with Lorn & Loathe from Fire In The White Stone, Dan showcased his skill in creating a wonderfully esoteric atmosphere.

‘Good evening…it’s very bizarre talking to no one,’ commented Dan as the candelabra’s flickered in the concert space.

Hoofes Upon The Shymmeringe Path took us back to the first album, and Wolcensmen’s first demo as that was where this piece of music first appeared.

Candles continued to flicker, and the greenery on show along with a simple backdrop made for a superbly intimate evening. There were thanks to Inferno Festival and Indie Recordings for their help in putting the event together before Lady Of The Depe, and the myth around the water goddess in the song were shared in typical Wolcensmen fashion.

The sharing of stories is what is so great about Wolcensmen’s music. It feels like a lesson. Dan’s articulation of the stories is ever clear. He believes in every word he shares; in story and song.

A cover of Man Of Iron, originally by Bathory, was no surprise to hear such is the influence on Wolcensmen. We were lucky to have Wolcensmen share their love of Bathoryon At The Barrier in our inaugural Why I Love column. The introduction to the song in Wolcensmen form was composed by Dan to put his own twist on the Bathory classic.

By this point, I don’t think Dan realised the amount of heat that would emanate from the candles in such a small space! Luckily, Dan had liquids on hand to keep fresh.

Due to the concert taking place on Easter Sunday, it was fit and proper that Sunne was performed; a hymn to the goddess of the dawn. A slight technical glitch meant that Dan had to restart the song; luckily, there were no heckles from the audience!

Sprig To Spear sounded emphatically different to the album version as Dan showcased the climactic part of Fire In The White Stone. The song is about finding strength; a sentiment that feels incredibly apt in April 2020. Wolcensmen closed the short seven song set with The Fyre-Bough from Songs From The Fyrgen.

It is certainly an experience to hear these songs in a more stripped back, ambient form. When listening back to the albums you realise that the songs from Wolcensmen are so wonderfully constructed, you can pick out more of the subtleties upon revisiting them.

Concerts where you can sit on your couch are great fun. There are no people talking at the bar, no drunken fools heckling, you can hear everything, you can see everything and you can get fully immersed. For all these positive points, nothing beats the atmosphere of being in a live crowd with fellow fans and artists that have a deep mutual respect for each other.

You can replay the stream of the show below. Dan conducted a lengthy Q & A session after the concert on his own Facebook page (also below).

Concert

Q & A

You can check out Inferno Festival’s 2021 line-up at their Facebook page. Be sure to check out Indie Recordings as well with all your metal needs.